What did you do right after we graduated?

I went to Harvard, and got a degree in Social Relations (honors). Then

I attended the University of Chicago, and got a Ph.D in Sociology from

that august institution. Going to the U of C during the Vietnam war was

seldom dull. I was a student of Albert Wohlstetter. Another Wohsltetter

pupil, Paul Wolfowitz (later Asst. Sec Def) and I were supposed to write

a paper together on "military strategy" for the Encyclopedia of Political

Science. I dropped off this, since two kids writing such an article

seemed unwise.

What has been your occupation(s) over the past 50 years? Tell us

about any highlights or cool things that you’ve been a part of.

For the last forty years, I have taught at Eastern Michigan University, in

Ypsilanti, and retired two years ago as a full professor. I am now an

emeritus professor of Sociology. I love teaching and still teach. I am

also a Professor II of risk management and organizations at the

University of Stavanger in Norway.

Where have you lived, and where do you live now?

Since getting my PhD I have lived in Ann Arbor, with brief sojourns in

Edinburgh, Honolulu, and similar places.

Are you retired? If so, what are you doing in retirement?

I am legally retired, but am very active intellectually. I am writing at

least two books, which will be my fourth and fifth, respectively. The

others were on complex organizations, the sociology of technology,

and history of the Sidewinder missile at China Lake (four printings).

The two I am working on are on "Information Flow" and "Anomalies:

Social Intelligence about Hidden Events." I consult on management for

governments and large organizations. I also still teach (I love it) and of

course write articles, lecture (e.g. on corporate culture and on UFOs). I

am working on a study of Michigan inventors (and earlier wrote

encyclopedia articles on inventors)

Please tell us about your family, spouse/s, children,

grandchildren, etc.

My mother is deceased, my father still lives at his house, attended by a

full-time staff of attractive young women. I married Kay in 1993,

divorced six years later, and married Deb, with whom I had two

children, Max and Piper, now 12 and 10 respectively. Deb, 18 years

younger than me, passed away in 2011. The two kids live with me.

What interests/activities do you find most satisfying?

I collect old books and drafting sets. I am happiest when I get to work

in my wood shop in the garage and make things. My great-

grandfather's tools are in the garage (he was a carpenter) and so I

commune with my ancestors there. I also travel (especially to France),

and like the academic life

Did you have experiences in High School that influenced later

choices in your life?

I had wonderful friends in high school, especially Dodge and Dolph,

and a wonderful girl friend in Betsy. And of course many other

interesting friends and teachers. My French teacher Roger Swanson

(fantastic) was an enormous influence on me.

Do you have any memories from High School that you would like

to share?

I remember fencing in the hallway with Dolph, his outrageous student

council campaigns, and Dodge getting the citizenship award.

What else would you like us to know about?

I wish all my classmates can live long and prosper. I miss John Fitts,

and hope that my own work in some way has made up for the great

loss we suffered with John's passing. And I wish to remember Don

Jedele. Pat Fogarty, in the class after us, was another terrible loss.